Background: Peyronie's Disease (PD) is a connective tissue disorder that affects the tunica albuginea (TA) of the penis causing curvature and erectile dysfunction. The pathophysiology is not well understood and, for this reason, treatment options are limited.
Objective:The aim of the present study is to analyze and compare whether single or multiple instillations of plasma in the TA of rats is capable of triggering macroscopic, histopathological, and molecular changes consistent with PD.Material/methods: Fifty male Wistar rats were divided into four groups: Group 1: a single instillation of plasma in the TA; Group 2: a single instillation of distilled water in the TA; Group 3: four instillations of plasma in the TA (1x per week); and Group 4: four instillations of distilled water in the TA (1× per week). Forty-five days after the last instillation a manual inspection of the corpus cavernosum, a penile erection test and a penectomy were performed to obtain material for histopathological and molecular analysis.
Results:It was observed that 31.25% of the rats that received repeated instillations of plasma presented penile curvature according to the erection test, while none of the rats from the control group or group with one instillation of plasma presented curvature. In the animals that received four instillations of plasma, the following differences were observed in relation to the control group: increase in fibrosis and the deposition of collagen I. The protein expression of heparanase (HPSE) and TGF-β increased in the groups that received a single or four instillations of plasma, and the protein expression of heparanase-2 (HPSE-2), metalloproteinases (MMP-2, MMP-9) and metalloproteinase inhibitor (TIMP-2) showed an increase in the group that received four instillations of plasma. There was a significant increase in the gene expression of HPSE, MMP-9, and TGF-β in the group that received four instillations of plasma. In the analysis of the glycosaminoglycans, an increase was observed in the secretion of galactosaminoglycans chondroitin sulfate and dermatan sulfate (CS/DS) in the group that received four instillations of plasma.
This study describes the functional and morphological alterations in the intestines of mdx mice (n = 4) compared with the intestinal features of C57BL/10 mice (n = 7) at 2 months of age. The whole gut transit time (carmine red) and the upper gut transit time (activated charcoal) were measured, and light microscopy was utilized to view stained sections (H&E and picrosirius red) for histological analysis. No significant difference in mean evacuation time for the whole gut was observed between the two groups, but a significant delay in activated charcoal passage was observed in the mdx mice. Visually, a higher concentration of collagen fibers in the submucosal region was apparent in the mdx mice. The concentration of collagen fibers in the stomach and small intestine suggests a direct relationship with the decrease in motility of the upper gastrointestinal tract in the mdx mice. Further experimental studies should be conducted to develop therapeutic alternatives to collagen inhibition to control these manifestations.
The cause of Peyronie's disease (PD) is still not completely understood. The objective of this study, therefore, was to analyze the histological and biochemical alterations that occur after the instillation of blood in the tunica albuginea (TA) of rats with an emphasis on the remodeling process of ECM. Thirty male Wistar rats were divided into 4 groups: two control groups with instillation of distilled water in TA followed by penectomy after 15 days or 45 days, respectively and two experimental groups with instillation of blood in TA followed by penectomy after 15 days or 45 days, respectively. Histological, immunofluorescent and immunohistochemical analyses were performed. The higher presence of fibrotic tissue in rats injected with blood demonstrated alterations in TA similar to inflammation found in PD. The increased expression of TGF-β, MMP9, HPSE, and biglycan associated with the decreased expression of syndecan-1 and aggrecan in the experimental groups suggested an enhancement in the remodeling of ECM. The results contribute to show that blood instillation on TA appears to trigger alterations in the ECM similar to the ones found in inflammatory diseases such as PD.
The various progestogens can have more or less proliferative and pro-apoptotic effects than estradiol alone. Among the treatment schemes analyzed, the estradiol + dydrogesterone combination resulted in a higher apoptosis rate in relation to the proliferation rate and tibolone was associated with the lowest proliferation.
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